While increasing the
overall health care budget very slightly (by 0.7 percent), the province cut
several services it considered non-essential—like spiritual care.

“In recognition of the
fiscal situation we’re in, it’s about trying to get to the core services of
health,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said. “The services that we cut, while
they’d be nice to have . . . they certainly wouldn’t be what we’d consider the
core services of health.”

The cut to spiritual health
care services will save the province $1.5 million a year.

Following
Saskatchewan’s decision, there was concern in Manitoba that something similar
might happen here as the province tries to maximize efficiency in the
healthcare system.

“We are
imagining that many (or most) of us are concerned about the upcoming provincial
budget,” the executive team of the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care
wrote to spiritual health care providers in Manitoba in March, before the
budget was tabled.

The news
from Saskatchewan, “is concerning,” the letter continued, “and we are aware of
the stress that some are carrying because of this.”

As it turns out, their fears
were unfounded.

The Manitoba government did
not cut spiritual care services, although a decision to reduce management jobs
means at least one spiritual health care director position will be eliminated
at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre.

That’s not a lot out of a
total budget of$2.8 billion a
year. But with pressure on from the provincial government to trim $83 million
in 2017-18, why shouldscarce
resources be used for spiritual care?

That’s the question I posed
to Adel Compton,Regional Director of
Spiritual Health Services for the WRHA.

For Compton, spiritual
care is an essential part of whole-person care in the health care system.

“Each of us tries to make
sense of life,” she says. “But when we end up in hospital, that sense of
meaning can be challenged, especially if we are very ill or facing death.”

Spiritual care, provided
by trained spiritual health care providers, “can help people understand what’s
happening to them, and what choices are available to them that fit into their
life and values.”

Providing these services
is also an aid to nurses and doctors, who are often very busy and have not
enough time to spend with patients.

“We have the time to
listen to people, to calm them down, help them make informed decisions for
treatment,” she says.

“We help people connect with
whatever it is that gives them the strength” so they can cope with their
medical situation, she adds—andmake it easier for the
medical team to do their jobs.

All of this not only helps
patients and staff, but it saves money, too. “There are numerous studies that
show that spiritual health care results in better patient outcomes,” she says.

A quick Google search shows she is right. Over400 studies have found that religion or spirituality helps
patients cope better with illness, and deal better with the stress caused by
health problems.

The studies also show that religion or spirituality promotes hope for
recovery, and provides rituals and behaviors that helps people ease anxiety,
lessen depression and promote greater overall well-being.

“Illness is a spiritual experience for most patients,” especially
those with serious illnesses, says Tracy Balboni, an associate professor at
Harvard Medical School.

Through her research, Balboni has also has found when religious or
spiritual needs are not addressed, it reduces a patient’s quality of life and
satisfaction with care, and doubles or triples healthcare costs towards the end
of life.So while the Saskatchewan government’s decision to cut spiritual
care services might save a few dollars now, maybe it won’t turn out to be such
a good move in the long term.